‘No law can order us’: Greek Christians defy COVID ban on Epiphany services
By Angeliki Koutantou, Deborah Kyvrikosaios, Reuters:
Greek Christian churches held Epiphany services on Wednesday, openly defying government coronavirus restrictions that banned public gatherings including religious ceremonies on one of the most important days of the Orthodox calendar.
Despite a plea by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for Church authorities to set an example during a crisis that has killed more than 5,000 in Greece, worshippers attended morning services, although limits were placed on the number allowed into churches at one time.
“State orders are one thing and faith is another,” said a 38-year-old worshipper who gave her name as Stavroula, after attending morning service at a church in the outskirts of Athens. “No law can order us what to do.”
Police patrolled outside a number of churches but said they would not interfere with services and would use “mild” measures to persuade people not to crowd inside.
The approach underlined the reluctance of Mitsotakis’ conservative government to seek confrontation with the Orthodox Church, which plays an influential role in Greek public life.
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